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Hello dear All ! My PC had been out of order for some days so I had to miss you. Benly - you are a very unusual -very hospitable - student, you welcome me, a teacher! LOL I remember the old song "...teachers here, teachers there, teachers almost everywhere.." where the students were not so happy to see us -teachers everywhere LOL. Thank you! What and where do you study? I wish you all success! As for Teacher's Day, we celebrate it on October 5 and it is consider here as International Holiday. It is a very good day, when teachers have got lots of flowers, boxes of chocolate, sweet words, warm smiles and a good concert in conclusion. This year our students gave the classes while we were just sitting in a teacher's room drinking some tea. Then after the students have gone we usually have good banquett. Jo - so you have been in Russia! Where have you been? Now it's winter here, as cold as you've described. Walking along the streets when it snows and big snow flakes fall down is very romantic. Eyes are so bright and shining and kisses are so sweet :) Haruka - shall I thank you or not?? What a flood of messages from your students!! You see, I am not able to response to all of them, so I will ask my students to help me. We are going to have our "post-day" on Saturday, December 7. Perhaps, you'll get a flood too! Hoping you are a good swimmer :) All their letters are very lovely, really. Duane - I join Benly asking you to tell us about your Thanksgiving Day. Did you enjoy it? Have a nice day. Natalia

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Hello, Jo: That's very sweet and romantic. We'll talk about it in our class.

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Benly, I haven't taught classes of British 16-19 year olds, but I have taught various Europeans and Arabic students of that age. I find that when they are all together they can be a handful, no matter what nationality they are! On the other hand, when we have a few younger students in our adult classes they generally conform to the mature behaviour of the rest of the class. I was quite lucky in Bulgaria becuase I worked in a very good school, but when I talked to teachers and students in Bulgaria last summer they all said that behaviour in schools was generally worse than ever before. I don't think the problem is confined to England. It must be hard for you being more mature than most of your classmates.

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Hello everybody. It's getting busy here again! Nice to see you all.

I have been to Russia. I was 19 years old and I was studying European languages, including Russian, at university. I went to Russia for several months. I was there in winter and it was pretty cold. I remember sometimes we would go outside and the moisture round our eyes and noses would freeze. When you blinked, your eyes would feel crispy or crunchy! It was a very strange sensation (difficult to explain or imagine!) But the cold was a pleasant, dry cold, which in my opinion is preferable to the damp, miserable cold we get in England.

Anyway, Russia holds a lot of special memories for me. That is where I met the man who I have now been married to for 8 years! Right now he is in the Ukraine, probably eating lots of borshch as it's one of his favourite dishes and his wife never cooks it for him!

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Hi Duane,

I hope you and your family have a wonderful and happy thanks-giving holiday. I suppose you will eat lots of turkey, when you come back you will gain at least a few pounds. But you still need to tell us all about what you have done in the thanks-giving holiday. I presume everyone on here is looking forwards to hearing your story. By the way, I hope you and your family have a safe and pleasant journey. Best wishes from Benly!!!

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Hello, Natalia! Nice to meet you! I have a friend from Kazakhstan. It is the country same from the first. If Russia lives in Japan, it will be felt like the country which does not not much have relation. However, when it went to Hokkaido at once, the big Russia ship was seen. Many people from Russia were there. Since there is not a friend from Russia, it is difficult to imagine Russia. Still, if it is the hat of the shape of a pipe of PIROSHIKI or a fur, it can imagine. After this, I learn about Russia by the lesson of a university. It is because there is little knowledge in spite of being closer to Japan than Europe. I want to know many things about Russia. Bye for now!